Increasing power in punches and kicks

[martino123]

Would punching or kicking with weights help increase my power. Eg im holding weights on both my arms and im jsut pracising punches or shadowboxing. Would it increase speed or power? Another example is i have some light weights strapped to my leg while i am practising side kicks,fronts, back kicks , roundhouses and hook kicks. Would that make my kicks faster or more powerful at all? Thanks

[jonbey]

Complimentary weight training will help, then perfecting technique. The problem with adding weights to wrists/legs etc is that if you technique is not good to start with you will be training the wrong way even harder!

[ProKarateShop]

You must also determine which kicks you are attempting to perfect. weights may increase speed, but technique will make it more effective.

[martino123]

So if weights attached to my ankle and wrist dont work then how else can i increase my power?

[martino123]

So training punching and kicking with weights would increase my speed and not my power?

[Johntlp]

The weights you have to be careful with. Its mostly for speed i believe because once you do the reps or punches with them, you drop them then go for speed and you feel the speed.

Power you need to work on correct body alignment, you need instruction. Use the different weight heavy bags. Work with someone with focus pads, to focus in on hitting accurately and while moving.

You should be doing alot of waist twists, punch straight and clean and retracting on the same path, working slowly on the heavy bag(one of the first things is your power rebounding, like you hit the bag and you almost go off balance, or you feel the power coming back and not going through the target), working the focus pads so you can move and hit.

Also you need to use your legs to hit and not your shoulders. This was one of them most important things!

[ProKarateShop]

The weights you have to be careful with. Its mostly for speed i believe because once you do the reps or punches with them, you drop them then go for speed and you feel the speed.

Power you need to work on correct body alignment, you need instruction. Use the different weight heavy bags. Work with someone with focus pads, to focus in on hitting accurately and while moving.

You should be doing alot of waist twists, punch straight and clean and retracting on the same path, working slowly on the heavy bag(one of the first things is your power rebounding, like you hit the bag and you almost go off balance, or you feel the power coming back and not going through the target), working the focus pads so you can move and hit.

Also you need to use your legs to hit and not your shoulders. This was one of them most important things!

Great post, this could be used as regimen

[solomon]

hi..
While punching or kicking u will increase Ur power but to want to take good training for kicks faster

[martino123]

Well i can do clapping pushups and if that develops power, then what im trying to say is, what if i bench pressed explosively and with more power. So instead of slow bench pressing i do it fast? Will that increase my power?

[jeffbarnes]

What we are really talking about is impact to your opponent and proper technique. Just like physics, if you tossed a five pound bowling ball at someone versus hurling it at them at a 100 miles an hour, which will do more damage?

Lifting weights and weight training will help you build strength, lose weight and get in shape. However punching power comes from speed and proper technique. Studying body mechanics and how to generate a proper punch comes with time and proper instruction. Speed is simply a conditional reflex response and learning to get your body to relax. Speed is much harder to train than technique simply because most people think that the stronger you are, the more power you can deliver in a punch. If you have proper technique and speed, it won't matter how much you can lift, your natural body weight and physique will be enough to do the damage.

[Guest]

As much as I am always hesitant in quoting Bruce Lee, he nailed this one a long time ago. A member of the audience came up to him at the end of a demonstration and said:

"Mr Lee, how do I make my punches harder and my kicks faster?"

Bruce Lee replied "Kick faster and punch harder".